Now the world's second-biggest poker site, 888poker has spent long enough languishing behind its rivals. It's now fast becoming one of the most popular rooms on the net and consistently wins 'Best Poker Operator' awards year after year.

And it's no wonder: with plenty of games to suit all wallets plus excellent innovations like SNAP and Face2Face, there are surprises round every virtual corner.

Software

Powered by 888's own Dragonfish platform, the standalone software at 888poker had to be good to match the big rivals - and it certainly delivers.

The games lobby is crisp and clean, with both (a better) download version available for Mac and PC. With some sites, no-download usually means no-frills, but with 888 the instant-play games work perfectly in whatever browser you use.

Ever the innovator, 888poker launched its PokerCam software several years ago, and it's still going strong. Also known as Face2Face, PokerCam tables let you take on real-money opponents and view them via your computer's webcam. You can even chat in real time using the on-screen chatbox.

888 is licensed and regulated in Gibraltar too, meaning you can rely on some of the best RNG auditing around for a fair game.

Mobile Clients: Mobile poker players are well-served at 888poker. There are download apps for iOS and Android with a fully-secure Cashier embedded in the app. As with desktop, there's no need to download as the Webapp plays instantly via your device's browser.

Security and Support

Licensed in Gibraltar, 888poker boasts some of the safest online games around. The software is TRUSTe-certified too so you won't have to worry about pesky hackers. 10 million unique users worldwide (and growing) can't be wrong. RNGs are regularly audited by leading tester, eCOGRA.

Contacting 888 is a little harder, and everything for support is done through an online form. Hunting around for a contact phone number took a little digging. However, the contact form was painless, and we received replies from support staff within two hours.

Cash Games and Tournaments

Available games: 888poker currently spreads a good range of Texas Hold'em, plus Omaha, Omaha Hi-Lo, 7-card Stud, and Stud Hi-Lo.

Cash Games: As for cash games, 888poker runs popular Texas Hold'em and Omaha tables 24/7. There are around 200 tables in total, with several thousand players hitting the lower-stakes tables on an average night.

SNAP Poker is 888's own version of 'fast-fold' poker. SNAP Poker is cash games where players get moved tables as soon as they fold or they are out of the hand. SNAP is available in both tournament format on-site, and mobile players can enjoy SNAP games too.

Freerolls: Daily freerolls run during the daytime on 888poker and are popular with most casual players. You will also find satellites into major online and live festivals starting from a few player points.

Top Tournaments

Nightly $5MTTs are great value at 888poker, with plenty of fish descending on the tables to compete. 120-man MTTs with a variety of buy-ins also pull in the casual players.

The big weekly guarantees are worth a shot too. The $30 'Swordfish' has an $8,000 guarantee, and a generous 5,000-chip starting stack. It comes part of the 'Fish n Chips' series that also includes Catfish, Goldfish, and Blowfish tourneys with varying buy-ins.

The Mega Deep carries a buy-in of $215, with $100,000 up for grabs. However, if that's too steep a buy-in, there are regular satellites running on-site. If you have the bankroll, the monthly Whale has a $530 buy-in.

Promotions

Canadian 888 customers can enjoy a massive welcome bonus worth 100% up to $400 on their first deposit. There's a decent 90-day expiration date on clearing the bonus, with bonus cash released in $10 portions.

New players also have the benefit of some free tokens when they sign up. $30 of tourney tokens and $2 in cash are credited to new players upon registering.

If some free cash doesn't appeal, entry into a First Depositors' Freeroll will. New players get a token for the $100,000 First Depositors' Challenge as well as entry into exclusive 888poker freerolls with $1,000 and $500 worth of prize money.

VIP Programs

Regular players can earn rewards and goodies by playing real-money games. The 888poker Online Shop is packed with goodies like iPads, clothing and holiday packages. Status and Reward Points are awarded for every real-money cash game and tournament you play on the site.

There's a 10-tier bonus ladder, with Blue players progressing to Iron after hitting 10 Status Points. There's even a handy Status Progress bar displayed on every poker table to show you how far you've come, and the number of points you need to get to the next level.

As well as cashing in points for gifts, regular players can turn Reward Points into cashback. There's a conversion rate of 0.01 per $1, fairly commensurate with other leading poker sites.

Join 888 Poker now and claim your $88 no deposit bonus!